An organisation dedicated to rescuing pet rats is appealing for help in finding four young rats that have been “abducted”.
The four-month-old Dumbo rats, named Flash, Choco, Milo, and Blaze, were last seen in a white wire cage on Monday when their caretaker was robbed near Philippi.
Purple Moon Rescue organisation rescues, treats, and also finds new homes for domestic rats and is now begging for the safe return of the four “boys”.
The organisation’s founder, Jessica West, says one of their members was running errands and was tasked with taking care of the rats, but was viciously attacked and the thieves fled with all of their possessions, including the four rotjies.
Jessica explains: “Much was taken, but the thieves insisted on taking our rats as well. “The member pleaded with them, begging them to leave the rats and just take the valuables instead, however, they took off with our animals all the same.”
According to West, they cannot understand the motive behind the abduction of the rats, “but we are really anxious about the possible outcomes”, adding: “These four boys were rescued from an abusive situation. We have nursed them back to health and they have been to the exotic vet for a final check-up.
“That is why they were only in a small travel cage for transportation. We are very worried about them because domestic rats can’t survive in the wild.”
She says they have opened a case at the Philippi police station, however, the police couldn’t verify this on Thursday.
The organisation is offering a R2000 reward to anyone with information that can lead to the four rats’ safe return.
West says: “We are serious about the reward and no questions asked. We just want the rats back.”
She adds that pet rats are ‘as intelligent as dogs and as clean as cats’.“We are a pet rat rescue. We exist because people don’t understand that pet rats are not like street rats and thus they get abused even worse than cats and dogs do.”
Please call Purple Moon Rescue at 0673789654 if you have seen the four rats or know where they are.